Thick, discolored, disfigured, and/or split nails can be common symptoms of disease of a fingernail or toenail. This disease can be caused by bacteria, mold, a fungus, viruses, parasites, or other organisms or microorganisms, and if left untreated, the disease can result in partial or complete destruction of a patient's nail plate.
In general, the most common type of nail disease is onychomycosis, which can be caused by a fungus, such as, a dermatophyte that can invade the nail plate and nail bed forming a patient's nail. Creams, ointments, oral medications, and radiation can be used to treat onychomycosis or other nail diseases. These treatments, however, may not eliminate the source of the disease, do not work for many patients, and can cause numerous side effects in patients.